SUNDRE - Anyone planning to go west of Sundre this year to cut down a Christmas tree has been given an early Christmas present from the government of Alberta.
Provincial officials announced today (Nov. 26) that the $5 fee for harvesting trees on Crown land for personal use has been removed.
“The Christmas tree is an important symbol of hope and joy this coming Christmas season. By cutting red tape and adopting a best practice, we’re giving a little light to Albertans whose tradition includes retrieving their own trees,” said Grant Hunter, associate minister of Red Tape Reduction, when making the announcement.
Harvesting is allowed in the province’s Rocky Mountain House Forest Area that begins just west of Sundre and is a popular spot for Christmas tree seekers.
While the $5 fee has been removed, provincial officials say getting a permit before harvesting Crown timber is still the law. Through the Personal Use Forest Products Permit, Albertans will receive a map of where they can go to access their trees. Permits can be obtained online.
Harvesting without a permit or selling Crown timber are contraventions under Forests Act Section 10 and Timber Management Regulation Section 68. The penalty ranges from a minimum of $50 to several thousand dollars based on the amount of timber harvested.
According to provincial statistics, there were 8,116 provincial permits sold for Christmas trees in 2018 and 8,353 permits sold in 2019. Eliminating the fee will save Albertans nearly $100,000.
A Personal Use Forest Products Permit is valid for 30 days. During that 30-day period, the permit holder may harvest up to:
• three Christmas trees
• five cubic metres of firewood
• five cubic metres of roundwood, often used for fence posts and rails
• 20 tree transplants
